Automatic grain fumigant application system



Feb. 15, 1949. T. c. MANNING AUTOMATIC GRAIN FUMIGANT APPLICATION SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 24, 1947 ATTORNEY.

Feb. 15, 1949. T. c. MANNING 2,461,649

AUTOMATIC GRAIN FUMIGANT APPLICATION SYSTEM Filed March 24, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 15, 1949 9 AUTOMATIC GRAIN FUMIGANT APPLICA- TION SYSTEM Timothy G. Manning, Kansas City, Mo., assignor to Uhlmann Grain Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application March 24, 1947, Serial No. 736,672

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a system for automatically applying vaporous fumigant or the like under pressure to grain such let or other cereal products as the grain is directed in a stream into a hopper.

Heretofore the most common method of fumigating grains has been through the process of immersion of the grains in a liquid fumigant resulting in many disadvantages. One of the greatest of these disadvantages lies in the waste of the fumigant since the grain tends to become saturated with more of the fumigant than is necessary, and also, such immersion of the grain tends to cause subsequent spoilage because of excess moisture. Additionally, it is well known by those skilled in the field, that most of the disastrous fires in grain elevators and other storage centers have been caused by the inflammable nature of the fumigant used and the application thereof to the grain in excess quantities, thereby enhancing the probability of internal combustion or other cause for fire.

It is the primary object of this invention therefore, to provide an automatic grain fumigant application system that obviates all of the above disadvantages set forth, as well as others through the medium of applying the fumigant to the grain in the form of a vapor which is just as eflicient as immersion and much more economical, as well as desirable from the standpoint of protecting the grain being treated.

The most important object .of this invention is to provide a grain fumigating system utilizing the teachings of U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,928,903, issued October 3, 1933, in treating grain automatically as the same is conveyed into a hopper for movement by force of gravity into the open top of a storage bin.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a grain fumigating system having a hopper mounted upon a movable carriage disposed above the open tops of a series of grain receiving bins, the hopper being provided with a perforated tube for receiving the vaporous fumigant under pressure and directing the same into the grain as the latter flows through the hopper. v

A further object of this invention is to provide a grain fumigating system wherein is provided a plurality of valved outlet nozzles for the vaporous fumigantarranged' in substantial alignment with the series of bins to the end that the perforated as wheat, oats, milance with the particular bin being filled with grain flowing through said hopper.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of special grain conveying means in the nature of an endless belt so connected to the shiftable carriage for the hopper as to permit shifting of the carriage to selected bins without readjustment of the belt or any part of the carriage, the hopper or the supporting means for tube within the hopper may be selectively connected to a corresponding outlet nozzle in accordthe belt.

Many other objects will be made clear or become apparent during the course of the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side .elevational view of all the component parts of the automatic grain fumigant application system forming the subject matter of my present invention, parts being broken away to reveal details of construction of certain of said parts.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the grain handling structure per se, parts being broken away for clearness.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a cross'sectional view taken on line Iv--1v of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The system about to be described contemplates the use of a pressure tank If] adapted to contain a filling l2 of liquid fumigant which is directed into tank I0 through the medium of a pipe M in communication with a source of the fumigant not shown.

A manually manipulable valve I6 is interposed within this pipe M to control the flow of the fumigant I2 into the pressure tank in. An inlet opening l8 in the normally bottom wall 20 of tank 10 receives the pipe M, the latter of which is secured to the pressure tank in by welding or other means of securement as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The pipe It! carries a perforated head 22 at the uppermost end thereof and this head 22 is disposed Within the tank ill and the liquid I2 in spaced relation from the bottom wall 20 of tank II]. A T-joint 24 in the pipe l4 exteriorly of the pressure tank Ill receives an elongated pipe 26, which pipe 26 in turn communicates with an air compressor 28.

A check valve 30 within the pipe 26 permits flow. of pressurized fluid from the air compressor 28 to the pressure tank In and at the same time prevents flow of the liquid i2 from tank In to connected by the joints it, each of which joints has a stub pipe 42 extending laterally from the manifold 33.

A hopper, broadly designated by the numeral M includes a pair of branches 46,,and 58 within each I of which is disposed a plurality of spray heads 50 and 52 respectively. Each of these spray heads 53 and 52 has a pipe 54 in communication therewith and extendin into the respective branch st or 03 from the exterior of hopper M, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. This pipe a l has a cut-off valve 56 interposed therein and communicates with a common joint 58, which in turn is in communication with a flexible hose lili through the medium of a pipe 62. This pipe 62 also has a cut-off valve $4 therein as does each of the stub pipes 42 as at 65. It is clear at this point that the flexible hose 65 places a conduit in communication with the nozzles 50 and 52 and may be joined to any one of the short pipes 52 as desired.

Means for testing the fumigant being used is also interposed in the system just described and comprises a second somewhat smaller pressure tank 68 for receiving the liquid fumigant to be tested indicated by the numeral 70. This pressuretank 68 hasa tubular member 12 in communica tion therewith at its bottom and joined to a T member M within the pipe 26, which tubular member '52 is provided with a cut-off valve "it.

Means for draining the pressure tank 68 includes a short pipe 78 having a valve 30 therein. A pipe 32 in communication with the tank 68 at its uppermost end, has a funnel 84 for receiving the liquid '30 to be introduced into the tank tit when a valve as within pipe 82'is opened. A tube 88 having connection with the pipe 82 is provided with a valve 9t and a flexible hose 92, which hose $2 has a plurality of perforations adjacent the free end thereof and is inserted into a. quantity of grain M within a container 96. A vertically disposed pipe 88 having a valve Itii' therein, interconnects the conduit 36 and the tube 88.

lhe hopper M is mounted for reciprocation upon a pair of spaced apart tracks IOI disposed in overlying relation with a compartmented storage bin I02. A framework broadly designated by the numeral I04 carries a plurality of pulleywheels I05 engageable with the tracks l0I for supporting not only the hopper but a pair of rotatable drums E08 and H0. The drum H18 extends into the hopper M through an opening H2 therein and carries an endless conveyor belt He in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2. This conveyor belt 5M extends from a pointof receipt of the grain to be treated (not shown) passes over. the drum Hi0 and thence downwardly to pass beneath the drum H0, whence belt I! continues to a point of connection (not shown) continuous to the point where the grain is being unloaded or otherwise directed to the belt IM. It is readily seen therefore, that the hopper tfil, the frame- Work I04 and the drums i03 and H0, may be bodily moved along the tracks IOI to overlie one of the number of compartments formed in the storage bin I02. When such action takes place, no lengthening orshortening of the endless belt H4 is necessary because of the manner of extending the same over the drums I08 and H0. The branches 46 and 48 of the hopper 44 are open at their lowermost ends as shown in Fig. 3 and when the rain I I6 is introduced into the hopper 44, the same is free to flow down either the branch 46 or 48 into the storage bin I02, depending upon the position of a tripper II8 operable through the medium of a lever I20 disposed exteriorly of the hopper 44 adjacent the valves 56 and 64.

In operation, the fumigant I2 is introduced into the tank I0 through the pipe It to a predetermined level as indicated in Fig. 1, whereupon the valve I6 is closed. The compressor 28 is caused to be operated for introducing fluid under pressure into the fluid I2 within the tank It through the perforated head 22; This pressurized liquid will move upwardly through the fluid !2 as indicated by arrows in Fig. l to create a vapor within the uppermost portion of tank I0, which in turn flows into the conduit 36. The hopper fi l is disposed above the desired compartment within the bin M2 and the conveyor belt H4 is actuated by force of power not shown, to move the grain in a relatively fine stream into the hopper id. This grain H6 will fall upon either the spray headset or 52, depending upon the posi tion of the tripper I I8 and when the'va1ves'66, 6 I

and the appropriate valve 56, are all opened, the vapor emanating from the tank I 0 will be directed into the grain I I6.

It is to be noted that during this stage of the operation, the valves 'Ieand I will each be closed. If during this operation just described, it

is desired to test a furnigant with respect to its inflammable nature, the valves it and 90 are each opened and the valve 86 is closed. Compressor 28 will direct compressed air not only into the pressure tank ill but into the tank 68 through the pipe I2. The vapor created within tank 63 will flow through pipe 88 and hose 92'to be dispersed within the quantity of: grain 94 contained in the receptacle 96. The well known flash test is then applied to the grain 94 to determine whether or not the, fumigant 10 within the tank 68 is inflammable. In the event that it is desired to conduct the same test upon the fumigant I2 within the tank Hi, the valves #6 and 90 are each closed and the valve Iilil is opened to the end that the vapor emanating from tank I0 may flow into the receptacle at through conduit 36, pipe 98, a portion of tube 88 and the hose 92.

It is notable that this last test with respect to the fluid I? may be conducted whether ornot the I grain lie is being treated through the spray heads 59 or Manifestly, the various elements used in the fumigant application system .just described are primarily illustrated schematically, and it. is, therefore, understood that many changes and modifications .niay be made particularly in de-- tails of construction of any one of these elements. without departing from the general objects and operation of the system per se. It is, therefore, desired to be limited only by the spirit of the invention andscope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is" c aimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a grain fumigating system of the kind described, a source of compressed, vaporous fumigant; a series of open top bins; a mobile hopper for receiving grain, to be fumigated, said hopper having at least one outlet spout and being mounted for movement above said bins with spout selectively registrable with said open top of the bins; at least one perforated tubular member in the hopper within the path of travel of grain passing through said hopper to a selected bin; a conduit extending through the hopper and connecting with said member; a manifold for receiving said fumigant, said manifold having a number of valved outlets in spaced alignment with said series of bins; and removable means for connecting said conduit and the outlet corresponding with the bin being filled with grain from the conduit.

2. In a grain fumigating system of the kind described, a series of open top bins; a shiftable hopper overlying said bins and having at least one elongated outlet spout selectively registrable with said top of the bins as the hopper is shifted; a perforated tube within the hopper disposed in the path of travel of grain to be fumigated and passing through said spout to a selected bin; and means for introducing compressed, vaporous fumigating material into the tubular member for passage therefrom into the moving grain through said perforations, said means including a valved nozzle for each bin respectively for receiving the fumigating material, a pipe extending from the member to the exterior of the hopper, and a removable connecting conduit between the pipe and a selected nozzle.

3. In a grain fumigating system of the kind described, a series of open top bins; a shiftable hopper overlying said bins and having at least one elongated outletspout selectively registrable with said top of the bins as the hopper is shifted; a perforated tube within the hopper disposed in the path of travel of grain to be fumigated and passing through said spout to a selected bin; means for introducing compressed, vaporous fumigating material into the tubular member for passage therefrom into the moving grain through said perforations; and structure for conveying said grain to the hopper including an endless belt, a carriage for the hopper, and a number of rotatable drums mounted on the carriage for receiving said belt, one of the drums being disposed to hold the belt into communication with the hopper.

4. In a grain fumigating system of the kind described, a series of open top bins; a shiftable hopper overlying said bins and having at least one elongated outlet spout selectively registrable with said top of the bins as the hopper is shifted; a perforated tube within the hopper disposed in the path of travel of grain to be fumigated and passing through said spout to a selected bin; means for introducing compressed, vaporous fumigatin material into the tubular member for passage therefrom into the moving grain through said perforations; and structure for conveying said grain to the hopper including an endless belt,

. a carriage for the hopper, and a pair of superimposed drums on the carriage, rotatable oppositely on, substantially horizontal axes for receiving the belt, the uppermost drum being disposed to empty grain carried by the belt into said hopper.

TIMOTHY C. MANNING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,446,072 Todd Aug. 28, 1923 1,928,903 Manning Oct. 3, 1933 

